The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-20
IT LOOKS LIKE BUSINESS.
PART OF THE GEORGIA, CAROLINA AND
NORTHERN RAILWAY UNDER CONTRACT.
General lEoke Ready to Award Other
Contracts on Fair Terms The
Road Seems to be a Certainty 80.

General Hokc has already awarded one con
tract for grading the track or the line o.
the Georgia. Carolina and Northern Railway
between Monroe and Chester. The extent OF
the contract is not known. but Director Per
rim thinks it is for section of about ten
miles. General tioke was to meet and heai
proposals from other contractors last Thurs
! day. but up TO this time the result OF the pro
posed meeting Is unknown in Abbcvllle.
| General Hoke has had various other offers
of contracts for grading, but he is waiting foi
more favorable prices than have us yet been
obtained, except in the case of the contract
| mentioned in this article.
\ number of corps of surveyors are on the
| line, and the survey is being made with great
care. and to the advantage of the railroad
company. From'Chcster in the direction OF
Fish Dam Ford in Union county, at least four
surveys have been made, and each time to
the advantage of the company. \ saving OF
about eight miles in distance has been effect
cd, and the shorter line is better and cheaper
| TO grade than the longer lines
The great trouble with many of the little
local roads has been that too little Importance
| IimpecuniOSity of companies have induced
them in many instances to get private or Spe-
,'ial subscriptions which were offered on con-
dltion that the road be located as the SUB
scribers might dictate. This will not be the
case with the GeOrs in, Carolina and Northern
Railroad. Their main line has been decided
upon, which is nearly an air line, and the com
pany having all the money and credit which
they need are determined to make the lines
between the stations as near straight ms posi-.
bic. Good business principles would dictate
this course. If the road is curved to save the
expense of grading or opening deep cut, a
still greater expense will be incurred in the
increased outlay for croSs-ties and iron. Even
though the original expense for constructing
u crooked road was something less than for Il
straight line. the future outlay in operating
expenses and the consumption of time on q
crooked and longer line would, in long
through line greatly overbalance any, little
lnN fRf n.lr t1CrIl
filling depression on the line. Time Is an
object on the through lines. and the demand
for quick transit Of freight and passengers Is
so great that no first.class through line can af-
ford to lengthen It's route unnecessarily.
The Georgia, Carolina and Northern Rail-
road will be a parallel road and competing
line for other railways now in existence, and
it cannot afford to make longer line because
of any little extra expense In making the
road straight Competing lines strive for the
shortest route, and then the next thing is to
make the best speed possible at the e easies, ,ss
will not be over fifty feet to the mile at any
place. With line almost straight, and with
a road bed so nearly level. 1t would seem that
will be one Of the best roads in the South, and
will be q blessing to all that section of coun-
try through which 1t passes.
Abbeville being about midway between AT.
lanta and Monroe we have at least an equal
chance for the location Of the workshops
within our borders. We have no doubt that
Abbeville will be ready to make any neces-
sary terms with the company TO secure this
valuable acquisition to our town, and which
would add so materially to the property anu
business interests of the town.
The friends of the Cumberland Gap road are
still hopeful and actively at work trying to Sc
cure the construction OF that great iron high
way. We learn that Judge COthran and Pres
ident Bowen contemplate going to Tennessee
in a few days in the interest of this enterprise
and 1t Is earnestly hoped that their efforts
mo " ho {
tnining the wherewithai to construct the road,
Abbeviile will indeed be on the road to pros
perity. If we could become the crossing OF
two such important railroads as the Georgia.
Carolina and Northern road and the Carolina,
Cumberland Gap and Chicago road our pros
perlty and growth would Oe assured.
Let Director Perrin look after the workshops
Of the Georgia, Carolina and Northern Rail-
road, and let all of Abbeville do every thing
possible to secure the greatest railroad facili-
ties.